Azelad is an ancient human
kingdom on the east coast of Morval Earth. To the south lies the elvish State of
Valhar whose mighty mountain fortress of Valhoth houses the Lawic Maghi led by
Valarian. They are locked in an
eternal war with the Chaotic Maghi led by
Hagoth, based in Gashad in the far
northwest. {There are neutral Maghi as well}So officially Azelad is a Lawic
Country although recent events do not give that impression. When 93 year old
King Chesar died there were potentially six possible claimants to the throne.
One, Conte Lollo of Shovol murdered the Canalengo (Chancellor) and married his
wife Caprizia Degollar the Querida, who had the power to assemble the Cortes.
This she did and Lollo was elected King by those who had turned up. Others led
by the Contesa Dafodila preferred to support her husband, Conte Anghered of
Phovetro, who had been commanding a Lawic army against the Chaotics in the north
for many years. This led to a big battle near Elar Castle. Anghered’s forces
were driven from the field and many of his allies were captured. However King
Lollo and your father Admiral Valente were killed in the battle and your uncle
Conte Colombo Degollar of Tikhar took over. Anghered and his battered army
sheltered in Elar castle which was too strong to take. So Colombo retired to
Mirimaz the capital of Azelad. There he held another Cortes and was elected King
in Lollo’s place. The captive’s ransoms would total well over fifty thousand
Gilden Pezzi, due mostly from Thentis, Bara, Fara and Stetia.

Many of Colombo’s army then
dispersed. Whilst dwarf cogs took other troops, on the 27th of the
First Moon you had to ferry some Sumirans back to Sumeer City in Elysia. You
with your two nefs had returned back to Tikjolit, Azelad’s chief port on the 6th
of the Second Moon. In the port was the Nef Balshazar. Those aboard told you
that your Uncle Colombo had been elected King and that they were about to leave,
taking the ransom demands up the great river Arwyn. On the next day you were
ordered to go with both nefs to blockade the port of Sklavis. Any reinforcements
or supplies for Anghered’s army at Elar, would be likely to land there. A
felucca, the Kave would bring you supplies and information from time to time. So
you duly blockaded the port but no ships came. In fact apart from some fishing
craft there were no vessels around!

On the 12th of the
Third Moon ATN 707 the Kave brought bad news! A large fleet of vessels had
arrived at Tikjolit and seized the port. It seemed that the western powers were
not prepared to pay the ransoms and intended to free their prisoners! However in
the battle for the port, King Colombo had managed to capture King Eudes of
Thentis and some other prestigious persons. He had taken them back to his nearby
castle of Tikhar which was now besieged.

Commander Victor FizValenteDegollar Squadron

You are one of several
illegitimate children fathered by Admiral Valente Degollar of Azelad. Unlike
some of your step cousins you have not spent most of your time in taverns but
taken to the sea. As a result you have been long in charge of the Nef Lamtotir.
This is manned mainly with Dabbrics, originally from central Morval Earth. They
are Chaotics captured long ago in the war in Hunara in the North. Your father
and Uncle Conte Colombo took them on and they have served the family well. They
have a barracks at Tikjolit. Just recently your uncle Colombo has added the Nef
Evasofah to your responsibilities. It has a motley crew from Azelad, Fara and
Chaotic Elysia.

On the evening of the 16th
the Kave brought worse news! Uncle King Colombo was dead and Tikhar Castle had
been captured. The invaders had been joined by Anghered’s army from Elar. They
were now marching off to Mirimaz the capital, where the other prisoners were
held. That was in the possession of your aunt Queen Caprizia, the sister of
Colombo. You conferred with Commander Giacomo Estori, the Commander of the
Evasofah and the two skippers. You thought that whilst Caprizia might not want
to claim the throne, Conte Illiron Jadear of Omos, one of the other claimants,
who had fought on your side would. As Tesoro Real (Royal Treasurer) he would
have the money to hire mercenaries. So you maintained the blockade of Sklavis
yet awhile.

Your skipper Leon Mardel asked
you what we should do if the war continued on for a long time. After all,
Anghered and his friends seemed to have the larger forces! They might besiege
both Mirimaz City and Omos Castle. Since most of their possible reinforcements
had already arrived overland our blockade was not achieving much! Whilst this
was true you decided that you should wait, carrying out our orders and hoping
for better tidings.

Then the Kave came once more,
bringing the Tavernkeeper Pedro Coleta with his wife Perdita. He had been
Colombo’s spy in Sklavis. He told us that Queen Caprizia had surrendered all the
Elar prisoners and made peace with Anghered. Some of our former allies were
being forced to go crusading against the Chaotics in Hamora! Anghered and his
allies were now marching north to deal with Conte Illiron. The word was that
after that, most of the western troops would march home overland, crossing the
Arwyn by the great bridge at Faralon. “So their ships sailing back from Tikjolit
will have few troops on them?” guessed Giacomo Estori. “I have little
inclination to go on crusade, how about you Victor?”

“What is the alternative? I doubt that
Anghered will hold too much ill will against us.”

“Under your father you were a pirate
once, why not become one again? As you know I come from Vendola, where we have
good markets. Captain Lanzo and I know the delta like the back of our hands. My
uncle Cesare has a remote marshland estate where we can hide when necessary.
Though Sumeer and Elysa are trading with the Lawic states they still have links
with the Chaotic powers. These nefs are faster than the Lymphads and the new
Urcas, why not profitably fight on against the westerners?”

You thought hard. The port of
Vendola was an old pirate haven. You knew it from when your father Valente had
sent you on pirate forays, although he saved the best picking for himself. Alas
he had been captured by the Stetian hero Don Incio Fulminar. He had been
ransomed back but then killed at Elar. Under Colombo you might have had a chance
to become Admiral Real in his place but there was no hope of that now.

“What think you Leon?” you asked your
skipper.

“I think we should do as Commander
Giacomo suggests. I think that when Anghered searches through Colombo’s
documents there may be mention of certain deeds committed by you and I in the
past!”

“That is true enough! Yes, there is no
future for us in Azelad. If we loot a few ships we should be able to buy estates
in Elysia and settle down. However it is best that we adopt my father’s
Valente’s old pirate rules. Surprise the enemy when possible by ruses. Conceal
your large crew below until ready to board. Only fight when you have superior
numbers. Do not attack vessels with dolphins hung on their yards!” {Dolphins are
heavy iron weights liable to sink opposing vessels when dropped. Their use
against the Longships of the men of Nor established the primacy of the Lymphads
of Thentis.}

So you positioned your
squadron further east. Soon you sight four lymphads sailing towards you. They do
not have dolphins erected and probably think that the war is over!

You
are Duke Pietro and with Giles Baron of Dune, your wife Duchess Angelique and
others, you are bound for Agetsu to fight in the crusade against the Chaotics in
Hamora. You have helped end the Azeladian civil war by establishing Anghered of
Phovetro as King, his main rivals Lollo and Colombo being killed. Your troops
include some from Thentis, Bara and Perigord {the Ancient Kingdom of Foix}who
enlisted intent of fighting the Chaotics. In settling the Azeladian civil war
some on the losing side were sentenced to aid the crusade for a year, so these
also figure prominently. Your wife recently commanded a three ship squadron
blockading Tikhar Castle from the sea. Hence her command of the Lymphad Melania,
which in fact she owns! {The coats of arms on the sails of the Thentian
Lymphads, denote their owners although most are hired out.}

Sailing north from Tikjolit your squadron will be passing the Azeladian port of
Sklavis. When King Anghered’s army was based at Elar, this was used to supply
food and reinforcements from the Western powers! So the Usurper Colombo ordered
his nephew Victor Fizvalente, with two large Nefs to blockade it! They are named
the Lamtotir and the Evasofah. With Colombo dead and all his supporters dealt
with, it is not known what Don Victor intends. Should you meet him, King Eudes
has ordered you to suggest that he sail to Tikjolit and place himself under King
Anghered’s orders. The Azeladian fleet had four Nefs with a new one being built
at Sklavis. One, the Oeririr was captured when Victor’s father was committing
acts of piracy and is now in the service of Bara. Another the Balshazar has
sailed up the River Arwyn to Ekthalon, (Capital of Thentis) with the now
redundant ransom demands, under Don Tobas Auge of Seesito. The Nefs are larger
than the Lymphads and normally have larger size fighting crews. They can sail
faster but cannot be rowed. {Rowing a lymphad with its sweeps is slow and
tiring!}